Machine eor cleazjistg catch basiws



Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,641

R. J. KELLY MACHINE FOR CLEANING CATCH BASINS Filed April 26. 1922 .'5 Sheets-.Sheet l Il Il 7.5%/ E Syvum/LIDO?,

Richard J. Kel lg Aug. 2, 1923.

R. J. KELLY MACHINE FOR CLEANING CATCH BASINS Filed April 26. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y Liuc/uba 'Rchord d. KeHX R. J. KELLY MACHINE FOR CLEANING CATCH BASINS 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 25 @wwe/Hbo@ Richard d. Kd l/ fifths/MW Patented Aug. 21, 1923.

RICHARD :I KELLY7 or srnncusn, Nnvv Yoan.

MACHINE non CLnaNrNG CATCH snsINs.

Application. inea- Aprn as, 1922. seriali-N0. 555,790.

T0 all whom t may Concern.

Be it known that 1, RICHARD J. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and Y liquid sediment which are retained by the catch basin. A further object is to provide a novel swingable conveyor, which is foldably mounted on the truck `of the vehicle, and which may be readily and quickly elevated, for positioning its receiving end over 'the manhole of the catch-basim-'and then lowered into the basin to different depths. A further object is to provide means for adjusting the conveyor after it is lowered intov the basin for lifting the .contents of the basin from differentv parts thereof. A further object is to provide means for operating the conveyor for elevating the contents of the basin. rend a further object is to provide auxiliary means for conveying the elevatedr material from the primary conveyor to a dump wagon.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed descriptionr which follows and as illustrated by theaccompa-nj ing drawings, -in whichy Figure l isa side'elevationof 'the complete device, -folded up ready for transportation or operation. F 2 is a topplan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of theV gearing employed for moving the conveyor from the horizontal to the vertical position. Fig. et is a similar' view of a portion of the gearing, employed. for raising and lowering the conveyor relatively to a catch basin. Fig. 5 is a similar view of other parts of the same gearing. Fig; 6 is an elevational view of the conveyor; showing by full and dotted lines. the vertical movements of the conveyor relatively to the catch basin and a dump wagon.V Fig.

T is a broken central vertical section taken.

on line 7--7 of Fig. 2.- 'Figz 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Fig.f-9 is asimilar view taken on line 9- f9 of Fig. 7. Fig. l0 is a top plan view of the frame that pivotally supports the conveyor.

In the drawing, the vehicular portion of the machine consists of va double truck, .com-. prising a horizontal frame 2 preferably made of flat bar metal, whose spaced side rails 2 are arranged V-shaped, as shown by the full and dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the forward end or point of the Vbeing., formed intoa bearing 2, which supports a pivot pin 3 carried by the swiveled front truck 3, the latter-beingmounted on wheels 4.. AL represents a ,tongue or handle for guiding theA vehicle, which is connected in the usual .-manner'to the truck 3i At the rear end of the frame the rails 2" are spread apart and provided with depending arms 2b.which areperforated to receive the axle of the rear truck o,fwhicli includes wheels 5.= The rear end-portion of the frame is braced by similar' angularrods ct.

.The cleaning. of the catch basin Ci is Aeffected by a belt conveyor 6, which mayl follow any suitable or usual construction, and inthe present showing consists of an endless flexible member G", and regularly spaced buckets 6a supported bysaid member (see Figs. LQandT). Then the rear end of the conveyor is lowered into the catch-basim: the said buckets scoopv up the water and mud and carry the same upwardly to a suitable height, from which the refuse is discharged into a dump-wagon or otherY` receptacle (l, by means of a spout 7, which is preferably hinged to the opposite or forwardend ofthe conveyor support andr is adjustable byfmeans of a rod 7 and a guide 7a, Vthe latterbeing carried by theconveyor support. 8 represents the elongated hollow casing or support which encloses the conveyor 6, the saidsupport preferably having an upturned front end `portion 8, as best'seen in Figs. l and 6. The conveyor 6 is partially mounted on rollers 9 disposed withinv the housing 8, 1arcferably adjacent theN angleV 8", and atits rear end. The 'forwardend of the conveyor. (member 6) is preferably mounted upon and driven by spaced sprockets 9*,which are rigid on a shaft 93,' one end of the said shaft eXtending through the casing 8., and supporting a sprocket l0. For this purpose the member 6 is perforated 'along itsV lateral edges for re ceiving'thev teeth of the sprockets 9 (see Fig. 2). The conveyor 6 is operated by means of a chain 10 which engages the sprocket 10, and a similar sprocket 10, the latter being supported at one side of the casing 8 intermediate its ends. The sprocket 10;L is mounted on a shaft 10b, whose outer end is square, and to which a crank 11 may be applied for operating the conveyor and related parts. rl`he angular front-end portion of the housing 8 is provided for shifting the center of gravity of the housing rearwardly of the normal vertical axis of the housingwhenv the latter is positioned as shown in Fig. G for preventing the accidental return of the housing to the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 7.

The conveyor housing S is pivotally connected to, and is supported by, the forward end of a rack 12, which is disposed in the line of the longitudinal'axis of the frame 2 and the casing 8, by means of a T-shaped part 13, which is provided with a. horizontal pin 13', and a Avertical pin 13El r(see Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8). By this construction and arrangement the casing may be rotated or swung vertically on the pin 13, or it may be swung horizontally on the pin 13, in a well-known manner. The foregoing parts constitute practically the only positive support :for the Vconveyor 6 and its housing 8. When the conveyor is in the folded or horizontal position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the forward end portion of the casing S rests by gravity upon a standard lil, which rises from the forward end of the frame 2. The rear end of the rack 12 is adjustably mounted in a block 15, which is rigidly disposed between the converging ends of a triangular swinging frameJ 1G and the latter is pivotally mounted between the rails 2" of the truck frame, by means of bolts 16. For this purpose the block 15 is provided with a longitudinal slotted' opening 15, whichY slidably receives the said rack 12, and the said rack is held in place and prevented from accidental release from the said block, by means of a spring 15, which is provided with a tooth 15" that engages a notch 15c in the top edge of the rack (see Figs. 5 and 'i' The conveyor 6 and its casing' 8 are elerated from the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and T, to that shown in Fig. 6, by means of Aa curved or quadrant-shaped rack 17, and

a pinion 17 the latter being mounted on a shaft 1T, the said shaft being supported by a bracket 1? carried by one of the rails 2, and also by a bracket 17C, which is mounted on a cross-bar 1T, that extends transversely between the rails 2. One end of the shaft 1Ta projects through the bracket 17') and is square, to receive the crank 11, by means of which the pinion 17 is rotated, for raising and lowering the conveyor (see Figs. l, 2, 3 and 6). After the conveyor is swung upwardly to the vertical or operating posiyright.

tion,l shown in Fig. 6, its rear or lower end may be lowered into the catch-basin c, by the operator shifting the crank 11 to the square end of the shaft 12, upon which is mounted a pinion 12a that engages the teeth of the rack 12 (see Figs. 5, 6 and 7), and then by turning the said shaft towards the This operation moves the conveyor and its casing downwardly into the catchbasin c, as from the full line to the dotted line position, shown in Fig. 6. 12b represents a ratchet wheel which is rigid on the shaft 12, and 12c represents a pawl which is pivoted to the block 15, and engages the ratchet, for locking and holding the vconveyor and its housing in any desired position relatively to the catch-basin 0,-and the` main frame 2. .That is to say, when Vthe crank 11 is applied to the shaft 12 for lowering the conveyor into the catch-basin, Vthe operator releases the pawl 12C while he turns the crank 11 towards the right, which lowers the conveyor, as from the full line to the dotted line position in Fig. 6.V In case of any variation in the depth of the catchbasins, or if for any other reason it is desired to stop the downward movement of the conveyor kbefore it reaches Vthe bottom of the basin, the operator lets go of the pawl 12C,

an d it instantly stops and holds the conveyorA from any further downward movement until 'the pawl is released, or until the conveyor is moved in the upward direction by the opposite rotation of the shaft 12. After the conveyor is thus lowered into the catchbasin, the operator shifts the crank 11 to the sprocket shaft 10b, and by rotating said shaft towards the right, sets the conveyor 6 in motion in the proper direction., Vfor elevating the contents of the basin c to 'the top of the housing 8, and discharges the same7 by means of the spout 7 into the dump wagon. (l. In practice, preparatory to cleaning the catch-basin the rear truck 5 is positioned so that the wheels 5 straddle the basin as best seen in Fig. 6.

My improved catch-basin cleaner is eX- tremely simple, and when constructed and operated, asherein shown and described, Vis capable of cleaning the basins in much shorter time and with less inconvenience and expense, than any other method or device heretofore employed for the purpose, lso far as I am aware. the device renders it con'ipact, and by reason of the severa-l peculiar and novel. operating mechanisms, vit requires but a few minutesV The foldable nature ofk In the Lio Having thus described my invention what I claim, is-

l. A machine for cleaning catch-basins, including a horizontal frame, a swingable member pivoted to said iframe, an endless conveyor supportedin parallel relation toV said frame, a housing for the conveyor universally pivoted to saidmember, means for swinging said housing and said member rearwardly for positioning said parts vertically above a catch-basin, means for mov ing said housing towards and away from said catch-basin, and means for operating member from the horizontal to the vertical position, a mechanism carried by said member for proyecting one end of said conveyor into a cateh-basin and tor withdrawing said member from said basin, and means Vfor op erating said conveyor for elevating the contents ot the catch-basin.

A catch-basin cleaner, comprising front and rear trucks connected by a frame, an endless belt conveyor normally positioned horizontally on the said frame, a housing for said belt, a swinging member pivoted tof wai-ds the rear end of said frame including a rack, means for pivotally connecting said housing with ne end of said rack, a mechaiiism for moving said housing from the horizontal to the vertical position, means operatively engaging said rack for moving said housing vertically towards and away from a catch-basin, and a mechanism for operating said conveyor for elevating the contents ot the basin.

4. A catcli-basin cleaner, comprising a wheel vehicle having a horizontal frame, a belt conveyor mounted horizontally above said iframe, a swinging support member for said conveyor pivoted near the rear end of the frame, means for pivotally connecting said conveyor with the forward end of said member, a mechanism for moving said conveyor and said member from the horizontal to the vertical position, means carried by said member for moving said conveyor ver-V tically relatively to'said member and said frame, means for preventing the accidental swinging of said conveyor from the verticalV towards the horizontal position, andv means for operating saidfconveyor for removing the contents of a catch-basin.

5. A machine for cleaningcatch-basins,

comprising a vehicle having a front and rear truck connected by a frame, a swinging member pivoted near the rear end of said frame, a reciprocatable rack carried by said member and movable in the line of the longitudinal axis of the member, an `endless belt conveyor, a housing for said conveyor, means for pivotally connecting said housing to said rack, a mechanism for swinging the forward end of said member rearwardly for positioning said housing vertically, a mechanism for moving said housing vertically towards and from a catch-basin, means for locking andl holding lsaid housing in different positions relatively to the bottom of the basin, and means for-rotating said conveyor for removing the contents of the basin.

6. A machine for-cleaning catch-basins,

comprising a frame, a support adjustably mounted on the frame, an endless conveyor,

and means mounting thelatter on the support for universal movement.

7. A machine for cleaning catch-basins, comprising a frame, an endless conveyor, a support pivoted at one end to the frame, and means universally mounting the conveyor on the opposite end portion of the support.

8. A machine for cleaningcatch-basins, comprising a frame, an endless conveyor, support pivoted to the frame and having au extensible part, and means universally mounting the conveyor on lthe extensible part. i .9. A catch-basin cleaner,

Y comprising a wheeled frame,

an endless belt conveyor, a

vertically swinging member pivoted on saidv frame, a rack Vextensionfor the member, a pinion Journaled on the member for sliding the rack, means for pivotally mounting theY conveyor on said rack, a mechanism for Y swinging the member vertically and com-V prising a part,Y carried by the frame and a part engaging the swinging member.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

RICHARD; KELLY. 

